Self-cleaning spinning arrangement for use with textile machines

ABSTRACT

A self-cleaning spinning arrangement for use with textile machines, particularly open end spinning machines, includes a rotatable spinning chamber which has a fiber-collecting surface. Supply means supplies carded fibrous material, together with incidental impurities, for deposition onto the collecting surface in the form of a fiber ribbon which is to be converted into yarn. Withdrawal means withdraws fibrous material from the collecting surface, in form of yarn which travels along a yarn withdrawal path. Pneumatic cleaning means provided in the region of the collecting surface automatically entrains the impurities and continuously removes them from the spinning chamber during operation of the latter.

United States Patent [191 Rajnoha et al.

[ SELF-CLEANING SPINNING ARRANGEMENT FOR USE WITH TEXTIL MACHINES [75] Inventors: Jaroslav Rajnoha, Tyniste, nad

Orlici; Ladislav Bures; Bohumir Burget, both of Usti nad Orlici, all of Czechoslovakia [73] Assignee: Elitex, Zavodu Textilnoho Strojirenstvi, Liberec, Czechoslovakia [22] Filed: Dec. 16, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 208,662

[ Mar. 26, 1974 Primary ExaminerJohn Petrakes Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Michael S. Striker 5 7] ABSTRACT A self-cleaning spinning arrangement for use with textile machines, particularly open end spinning machines, includes a rotatable spinning chamber which has a fiber-collecting surface. Supply means supplies carded fibrous material, together with incidental impu ritiesf'fBr iifibitibiibfitli cfillecting surface in the form of a fiber ribbon which is to be converted into yarn. Withdrawal means withdraws fibrous material from the collecting surface, in form of yarn which travels along a yarn withdrawal path. Pneumatic cleaning means provided in the region of the collecting surface automatically entrains the impurities and continuously removes them from the spinning chamber during operation of the latter.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENIEUmzs m4 SHEET 1 [IF 2 PATENIHI was an SHEET 2 0F 2 SELF-CLEANING SPINNING ARRANGEMENT FOR USE WITH TEXTILE MACHINES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the problem of contamination in yarn spinning chambers, and in particular to those impurities entering with the fibrous material to be processed.

Fibrous material supplied to a spinning chamber for conversion into yarn usually brings with it a variety of impurities. These include fibers of too short length, fiber fragments, dust, dirt, husk residues and various other undesirable contaminants. These impurities produce a variety of disadvantageous effects when fed to spinning chambers heretofore known, particularly those employed in the open end spinning process.

Open end spinning machines ordinarily comprise a rotating spinning chamber having a fiber-collecting surface. Conventionally, fibrous material which has been carded preparatory to spinning is furnished to such spinning chamber and centrifugally deposited on the collecting surface in form of a fibrous ribbon. At the same time, fibrous material already deposited is withdrawn from the collecting surface in form of yarn. Twist can be imparted to such yarn by passing it across a suitably configurated deflecting element having a friction-twist surface.

Usually, an underpressure prevails in the spinning chamber during its rotation, such underpressure serving to draw fibrous material to be spun into the spinning chamber. At the same time, however, the underpressure will draw in a large amount of impurities, such as just mentioned, which will interfere with proper operation of the device. In particular, the flow of air within the spinning chamber and the action of centrifugal force will cooperate to produce sizable accumulations of such impurities on the fiber-collecting surface, this surface being ordinarily situated at the farthest point from the axis of rotation of the spinning chamber.

Such accumulations are most undesirable, inasmuch as the condition of the collecting surface has a great deal to do with the quality of the yarn finally produced. Indeed, when the contamination of the collecting surface has reached a certain extent, yarn breakage will immediately occur. Short of actual breakage, the yarn will undergo excessive and sudden increases in tension, which result in uneven or unacceptablypoor quality of the yarn produced. In addition, if the yarn tension rises suddenly or is kept too high, proper travel of the yarn over the deflecting surface will not occur, whereby the finished yarn will not have imparted to it the desired twist characteristic. Finally, it should be noted, considerable amounts of contaminants accumulated on the collecting surface will intermittently be wrapped into the withdrawn yarn itself, having thereby the most undesirable influence on the products appearance and structure in general.

Originally, the contaminants in question were removed from the spinning chamber by a manual operation. This was, in the first place, a time-consuming and inconvenient task involving, obviously, shutdown of the spinning device. In addition, such manual cleaning was performed only after yarn breakage had already occurred, or after an operator had detected a marked deterioration in the quality of the yarn being made. Certainly, not all operators are reliably watchful, and with the prior-art manual-cleaning operation considerable contamination, and accordingly considerable yarn deterioration, may occur before it can be detected. Then, too, when the cleaning operation was in fact performed, it was effected with the aid of handtools and other instruments, so that the collecting surface was put in considerable danger of damage each time it was cleaned.

Mechanized cleaning means have been developed, but are quite disadvantageous. In particular, the need for shutdown of the spinning process during cleaning has not been overcome. In addition, the mechanized cleaners known are complicated and difficult to handle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-outlined shortcomings of the prior art.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and arrangement for spinning fibrous material into yarn which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a self-cleaning spinning arrangement which is automatically cleaned during the actual spinning operation.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide such an arrangement from which impurities are automatically and continuously removed, without any interference with the spinning operation.

In pursuance of the foregoing objects, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one embodiment of the invention comprises, briefly stated, a housing a rotatable spinning chamber mounted for rotation in the housing and having a fiber-collecting surface. A supply means supplies carded fibrous material, together with incidental impurities, for deposition onto the collecting surface in form of a fiber ribbon which is to be converted into yarn. Withdrawing means withdraws fibrous material in form of yarn from the collecting surface along a yarn withdrawal path. Pneumatic cleaning means is provided in the region of the collecting surface. The pneumatic cleaning means is adapted to entrain the impurities and continuously remove them from the spinning chamber during operation of the chamber.

With the arrangement disclosed herein it is possible to perform the necessary cleaning of the spinning chamber automatically and continuously, without any interruption of the fiber processing operation.

It is a particular feature of the present invention that the cleaning of the spinning chamber and fibercollecting surface thereof is in part effected by the moving yarn end itself, as it is formed and withdrawn from the fibrous ribbon inside the spinning chamber, in cooperation with an air flow established by the pneumatic cleaning arrangement.

According to one embodiment of the invention the pneumatic cleaning arrangement is mounted in the immediate vicinity of the collecting surface, so as to have the greatest possible preventive influence on the accumulation of impurities at such location. It will be obvious, however, that in so far as the cleaning is effected by pneumatic means, the cleaning arrangement may be positioned in the fiber-processing machine at whatever location is most suitable, based on considerations of design and convenience; it is necessary only that such cleaning means be pneumatically effective at the regions of contaminant accumulation in question.

1 According to one advantageous form of the invention, the pneumatic cleaning arrangement includes a bypass channel opening onto the collecting surface of the spinning chamber, with one or more ventilating passages being provided in a wall of the bypass channel. According to such embodiment, the impurities entrained by the cleaning arrangement will be conveyed out of the spinning chamber through such ventilation passages.

The present invention recognizes that fibers intended for conversion into yarn should not be conveyed out of the spinning chamber with the undesired impurities. For this reason, the invention contemplates blocking means which prevent removal from the spinning chamber of fibers intended for the production of yarn, while not interfering with the removal of undesired impurities.

The present invention furthermore contemplates a novel method for processing fibrous textile material,

and particularly a method of spinning fibrous material into yarn in a so-called open end spinning operation.

The novel method disclosed herein is intended to eliminate or at least reduce the'problems resulting from contamination by impurities set out above.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional object and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the spinning arrangement of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section through the spinning chamber shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of part of a spinning chamber such as illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section through a spinning chamber according to the invention, with blocking means included;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one blocking arrangement that can be used according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS It will be appreciated that a spinning machine or installation of the type in question will incorporate a plurality of units having substantially the same construction, and that it is necessary only to discuss one such typical unit.

Referring now to FIG. 1, it will be seen that reference numeral 2 generally identifies a spinning chamber, and reference numeral 1 a stationary housing in which such spinning chamber is mounted for rotation. The spinning chamber 2 is provided with a slide wall 3 which merges continually into a fiber-collecting surface 4. Fibrous material which has been carded by suitable carding means enters the spinning mechanism through inlet 6, preferably under the influence of an underpressure prevailing in the spinning chamber during its rotation. The carded fibrous material will feed along slide wall 3, sliding along the same under the influence of centrifugal force resulting from spinning chamber rotation. The fibrous material sliding along wall 3 will become deposited onto a suitably configurated collecting surface, in this exemplary embodiment a collecting surface 4 of annular configuration.

Reference numeral 7 designates a deflecting element located in the path of yarn withdrawal. The deflecting element is provided with a rotary friction surface 14 adapted to impart a twist to the yarn being formed. It will be appreciated that fibrous material-is continuously withdrawn from the collecting surface 4 in form of a yarn. In the course of its withdrawal, such yarn will travel across rotary friction surface 14, across the top of deflecting element 7 (as seen in FIG. 1 then against the curved entrance mouth of passage 8, and finally up through the passage 8 itself. It will be clear, of course, that such withdrawal is effected by the action of withdrawing rollers 10, or the like, the withdrawing rollers or their functional equivalents not forming part of the invention. Finally, after passing up between rollers 10, the yarn is wound onto bobbin 11.

In considering the above operation, it will be understood that, if twist is to be imparted to the yarn, this can be effected by rotary friction surface 14, in cooperation with the spinning motion of chamber 2 itself. That is, as yarn is withdrawn from fibrous ribbon 5 deposited on collecting surface 4, such yarn will be twisted during its passage across surface 14 as a result of rotation of the spinning chamber with respect to the stationary housing, and further as a result of orbiting within the spinning chamber, and with respect to it, of the point of yarn withdrawal, that is the point where such yarn is lifted off the surface 4. I

In the spinning arrangement of FIG. 1, the collecting surface 4 and friction surface 14 are both of circular configuration, and the deflecting element 7 has a circular rim projecting radially outwardly from an inwardly positioned supporting portion. It hardly need be stated that a multitude of configurations is possible for defleeting element 7 and that the invention is in no sense restricted tothe specific configurations depicted for illustrative purposes.

The bottom of the spinning chamber 2 is generally identified with reference numeral 12. As seen in FIGS. 1 4, a bypassing channel is provided in the spinning chamber, and generally identified with reference numeral 13. In the embodiment depicted, the bypassing channel 13 is of annular configuration. It is bounded from above by the underside of deflecting element 7, and bounded from below by the lower portion of spinning chamber 2. As depicted, it has a radially inner peripheral wall and a radially outer peripheral wall. Disposed along the outer peripheral wall of annular bypass channel I3 is a plurality of ventilation openings or passages I6. To the left in FIG. 1, for example, there are seen four such ventilation openings or passages: one is seen in cross-section with a left-directed arrow passing through it and indicating the direction of air flow escaping through the same as a result of centrifugal forces; adjacent such opening and slightly towards the right are seen three similar passage openings 16, in elevation.

An opening or passage 16 communicates at one end with annular channel 13, and at its other end with the exterior of the spinning chamber 2. The air escaping through the openings 16 exerts an underpressure in the spinning chamber 2, which influences the feeding of the fibers through tube 6 to sliding wall 3 to collecting surface 4. In this connection, it should be noted that the camber of wall of collecting surface 4 is so chosen that when fibrous material is fed into the spinning chamber 2 along slide wall 3, the collecting surface 4 will tend to receive therein only the fiber ribbon 5, whereas associated impurities will tend to be entrained in a stream of air, still to be described.

The operation of the arrangement illustrated is as follows: 1

Carded fibers to be converted into yarn are fed, together with impurities, through tube 6 to slide wall 3 of rotating spinning chamber 2, under the influence of an air flow caused by the effect of underpressure resulting from the rotary motion of the spinning chamber. These fibers slide along sliding wall 3 to collecting surface 4 where they are deposited as fiber ribbon 5, to be further processed in known manner to finished yarn 9 and wound on bobbin 11.

Short fibers, fiber fragments, husks, dust and other impurities present at or in the vicinity of collecting surface 4 are entrained by an air flow. The air flow in question penetrates the point of yarn formation, i.e., the point where yarn is withdrawn from fibrous ribbon 5, and thus also penetrates yarn Q itself, to a certain extent. The air flow, with entrained impurities, having passed across surface 4, then passes through bypass channel 13 and thence through openings 16 to the outlets thereof. The outlets of openings 16 serve to discharge entrained impurities into a suitable collecting arrangement, an impurities receptacle, the atmosphere, or to any other suitable means or location. According to a particularly advantageous concept of the invention, the collector of impurities is located centrally with respect to the spinning chamber.

The yarn 9 is withdrawn from ribbon 5 at a point herein referred to as the point of yarn withdrawal. The point of yarn withdrawal, advantageously, is not stationary either with respect to the stationary housing 1 or with respect to the rotating collecting surface 4. Rather, the point of yarn withdrawal orbits about the axis of rotation of spinning chamber 2, in the same direction as that in which chamber 2 spins. Simultaneously, the point of yarn withdrawal performs a rotary motion in which it travels around and along the annular collecting surface 4. Clearly, the angular velocities of spinning chamber 2 and the point of yarn withdrawal, with respect to the axis of rotation, are different.

This rotational travel of the point of yarn withdrawal causes the yarn end itself to agitate and whirl impurities present in the vicinity of the collecting surface 4, thereby assisting in the entrainment of such impurities by the aforedescribed air flow, and their subsequent discharge through openings 16 into suitable collecting means.

From the foregoing description, it will be clear that removal of impurities and cleaning of the spinning chamber proceeds simultaneously with the actual spinning operation, that is, it is initiated with the start of spinning and continues until spinning is terminated.

FIG. 3 depicts an embodiment very similar to FIGS. 1 and 2. In this Figure, it will be seen that a first gap a is defined between sliding wall 3 and deflecting element 7 and that a second gap b is defined between deflecting element 7 and collecting surface 4. The relative widths of such gaps are of importance. FIG. 3, in particular,

shows gap b having a width substantially 1.5 times the width of gap a. It has been found that such relative dimensioning will produce a more intensive air flow past the collecting surface of the spinning chamber 2.

The present invention recognizes the possibility of inadvertent and undesired entrainment of fibers not constituting impurities in the aforedescribed stream of air, with resultant removal of said fibers from the spinning chamber, together with the impurities. To prevent such possibility, the spinning chamber 2 can be provided with suitable blocking means which will prevent entrainment of fibers intended to be converted into yarn, while at the same time not interfering with the entrainment of impurities.

Such blocking means are illustrated, by way of example, in FIG. 4. The blocking means are identified by reference numeral 18, and it should be understood that means 18 prevents entrainment of the (longer) fibers intended to be converted into yarn, while not interfering with entrainment of the (shorter) impurities which can freely pass the blocking means.

FIG. 5 shows one, and merely an exemplary, form of the blocking means 18. It will be seen that means 18 is here provided in form of spaced projections. The projections are of such configuration, and so spaced, as to facilitate passage therebetween of strong air flows,

while not permitting passage therebetween of longer separated fibers such as are intended to be converted into the finished yarn.

FIG. 5 is merely exemplary. Blocking means 18 may also comprise racks, a mesh, a grid, or the like. Similarly, while in FIG. 5 the means 18 is shown mounted on deflecting element 7, it may just as well be mounted on the sliding wall 3, in the channel 13, or at another suitable location in the spinning chamber.

The advantage of the method and device according to the present invention consists particularly in that it is unnecessary to interrupt the spinning process for the purpose of cleaning, and that surveillance by an operator and manual adjustment are almost completely obviated. The cleaning of the collecting surface as well as of the whole inner surface of the spinning chamber is effected continuously and automatically, and simultaneously with the spinning operation itself. The cleaning is effected with a constant intensity, and reliably, without the need for expensive devices. The quality of the yarn produced is excellent, its appearance good, and its strength actually improved. Likewise, yarn breakage is far less extensive, and productivity thereby increased. The device according to the invention operates reliably at high as well as at lower operational speeds, while maintaining constant spinning conditions.

Numerous structural and design variations are possible without departing from the spirit and concept of the present invention. It will of course be understood that, whereas in the Figures the spinning chamber is mounted vertically, any suitable orientation may be used. Likewise, while collecting surface 4, deflecting element 7, friction surface 14 and bypass channel 13 have all been depicted as having annular circumferentially complete configuration, this should not be thought indispensable. The automatic cleaning arrangement of the invention is equally applicable to spinning units where such structural components have different configuration, if the problems of contamination are otherwise the same. Likewise, while the invention has been illustrated in connection with a spinning chamber, it can be useful in other applications, both within and without the textile industry, in which automatic self-cleaning and the removal of contaminants are to be achieved.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a self-cleaning spinning arrangement for use with textile machines, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be. comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. Self-cleaning spinning arrangement for use in textile machines, particularly open end spinning machines, comprising a housing; a rotatable spinning chamber mounted for rotation in said housing and having a fibercollecting surface; supply means for supplying carded fibrous material, together with incidental impurities, for deposition onto said collecting surface in the form of a fiber ribbon which becomes converted into a yarn during operation of said spinning chamber; withdrawal means for withdrawing such yarn from said collecting surface along a yarn withdrawal path; and pneumatic cleaning means for continuously entraining and removing said impurities from said spinning chamber during said conversion of said fiber ribbon into a yarn, comprising a bypass channel opening onto said collecting surface and at least one ventilation passage provided in a lateral wall of said bypass channel, said bypass channel and said ventilation passage cooperating for establishing a passage for escape of a pneumatic medium with entrained impurities from said collecting surface and said spinning chamber.

2. Arrangement as defined in claim 1, and further including a deflecting element positioned in the path of yarn withdrawal, whereby withdrawn yarn is constrained to pass across said deflecting element, said bypass channel being in part defined by a portion of said deflecting element.

3. Arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein said collecting surface, bypass channel and deflecting element are of substantially annular configuration and concentric with each other.

4. Arrangement as defined in claim 3, and further including a peripheral surface adjoining said fibercollecting surface, spaced from said deflecting element, and defining with said deflecting element a first clearance, said collecting surface defining with said deflecting element a second clearance communicating with said first clearance and with said bypasss channel, the width of said second clearance being substantially 1.5 times the width of said first clearance.

5. Arrangement as defined in claim 1, and further including blocking means for preventing undesired removal of said fibrous material from said spinning cham ber together with entrained impurities.

6. Arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said blocking means is in the form of a mesh.

7. Arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said blocking means comprises spaced projections permitting passage of air therebetween but preventing passage of fibrous material.

8. Arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said blocking means are mounted on a yarn deflecting element located within said spinning chamber.

9. Arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said blocking means are mounted in a channel of said spinning chamber.

III II! 4 1| 

1. Self-cleaning spinning arrangement for use in textile machines, particularly open end spinning machines, comprising a housing; a rotatable spinning chamber mounted for rotation in said housing and having a fiber-collecting surface; supply means for supplying carded fibrous material, together with incidental impurities, for deposition onto said collecting surface in the form of a fiber ribbon which becomes converted into a yarn during operation of said spinning chamber; withdrawal means for withdrawing such yarn from said collecting surface along a yarn withdrawal path; and pneumatic cleaning means for continuously entraining and removing said impurities from said spinning chamber during said conversion of said fiber ribbon into a yarn, comprising a bypass channel opening onto said collectinG surface and at least one ventilation passage provided in a lateral wall of said bypass channel, said bypass channel and said ventilation passage cooperating for establishing a passage for escape of a pneumatic medium with entrained impurities from said collecting surface and said spinning chamber.
 2. Arrangement as defined in claim 1, and further including a deflecting element positioned in the path of yarn withdrawal, whereby withdrawn yarn is constrained to pass across said deflecting element, said bypass channel being in part defined by a portion of said deflecting element.
 3. Arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein said collecting surface, bypass channel and deflecting element are of substantially annular configuration and concentric with each other.
 4. Arrangement as defined in claim 3, and further including a peripheral surface adjoining said fibercollecting surface, spaced from said deflecting element, and defining with said deflecting element a first clearance, said collecting surface defining with said deflecting element a second clearance communicating with said first clearance and with said bypasss channel, the width of said second clearance being substantially 1.5 times the width of said first clearance.
 5. Arrangement as defined in claim 1, and further including blocking means for preventing undesired removal of said fibrous material from said spinning chamber together with entrained impurities.
 6. Arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said blocking means is in the form of a mesh.
 7. Arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said blocking means comprises spaced projections permitting passage of air therebetween but preventing passage of fibrous material.
 8. Arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said blocking means are mounted on a yarn deflecting element located within said spinning chamber.
 9. Arrangement as defined in claim 5, wherein said blocking means are mounted in a channel of said spinning chamber. 